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A man from Birmingham who lost his job after going blind says it is just something you don't expect to happen to you.

Bill Murdock, from Birmingham, now fears for his house because he's struggling to pay for his mortgage.

He is not alone though - with wages stagnant, savings have dwindled. One million people in the West Midlands have enough money put aside to get by for just three months if they lost their job - and a fifth wouldn't even last a month.

A bus driver who fears he may lose his house after he lost his job when he went almost totally blind says it will be yet another thing the loss of his sight will have taken away.

Bill Murdock, from Birmingham, says he's lost an enjoyable job, and also his favourite social past-time of snooker.

The loss of his job has meant he can't keep up with mortgage repayments. That is something 670,000 people in the West Midlands would not be able to do if they lost their job, according to a new report.

39% in the West Midlands would not be able to afford rent or mortgage for a month without a job Credit: Rui Vieira/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Nearly 700,000 people in the West Midlands could not pay their rent or mortgage for more than a month if they lost their job.

That is according to research by homeless charity, Shelter.

With savings dwindling for many, 39% of people in the West Midlands would not be able to keep up with payments for more than a month without a job - putting them just one paycheque away from losing their home.

Only 62% said they would be able to cover the monthly payments for three months.

Shelter is warning that high housing costs mean just one thing like illness or redundancy could be enough to tip someone into a downward spiral and put their homes at risk.